History favors
the Afghans

No one has ever successfully invaded Afghanistan. It's too isolated, too ornery, too far from supply routes, too dry, too high and the residents carry weapons all the time. Ask the British. Ask the Russians. Ask the Pakistanis. Even Alexander the Great gave up after a couple of years and turned south into India.

It's something to keep in mind as we plan a response that might include military action in Afghanistan. Without a clear mission that ends with a rapid withdrawal, we may get our okoles chewed to no good result, no matter how much damage our forces inflict.

It's also important to recognize that the strategic goal of terrorist acts like those that occurred Sept. 11 is to invite clumsy, brutish responses on the part of the enemy. If we overreact, Afghan citizens who merely disliked us will hate us, which is exactly what the terrorists are trying to achieve. Instead of blowing up an entire town, a propaganda campaign to embarrass the terrorists would be more effective, as would a single pistol shot in the night.

--Burl Burlingame

---